In the fishing lure art, there has been a proliferation of various types of artificial lures having bodies made of soft, life-like plastic and imitating various types of natural baits, such as worms, night crawlers, grubs, toads, crawfish, minnows, etc. that form the prey of gamefish. These artificial lures are molded in a wide range of colors and specific shapes in an attempt to attract fish of particular types under the particular water and light conditions encountered by the fisherman.
Fishermen typically carry in a tackle box, the soft, plastic artificial lures described above and also hardbodied wood, metal or plastic artificial lures that typically resemble small fish or other creatures upon which larger gamefish prey. These hard bodied lures are also made in a wide range of colors and specific shapes to attract fish under various water and light conditions.
One type of lure design which has gained appreciable popularity is generally comprised of a body having the appearance of a minnow or shad, i.e., the body has a front head portion and a tail portion with simulated eyes, gills and fins and constructed of soft, life-like, resilient materials, such as plastic or latex. These have come to be more popular than hard bodied lures which are encumbered with fixed attachments of hooks, deflectors, etc. that detract from the lure's natural appearance and life-like behavior.
One of the oldest and most frustrating problems which confronts fishermen is the probability that the tug on the end of his fishing line is the engagement of a weed or other unwanted catch rather than a fish. This is the most common predicament in which a fisherman finds himself, given the fact that many fish are to be found in areas that contain weeds or other obstacles. If the point of a fish hook is exposed and dragged through the water, it is far more likely to snag debris than to catch a fish.
Various designs intended to render hooks weedless have been implemented. One common design in use today consists of light, flexible, strands of spring steel, affixed to the hook in such manner as to precede and guard the hook's point. Other designs have involved mechanical weed guards that were required to be set not unlike a mousetrap. However, sometimes the tension holding the weed guard in place would be too great and the mechanism would not disengage when struck by a fish. Conversely, if the tension were too weak, the mechanism would disengage without a fish strike. These types of lures are believed to no longer be readily available on the market.
I am aware of the existence of the Kahle U.S. Pat. No. 2,624,146 entitled "FISHHOOK" and I have noted he has placed particular emphasis on the configuration of his hook. This patentee has positioned the sharp point of his fishhook so that, using his words, the fish can strike his hook "from almost any direction with little or no interference from the shank of the hook." Kahle sets forth that the point of his hook is relatively far from the upper shank portion, with this distance being substantially greater than the distance from the point to the adjacent lower shank portion. This inventor specifically states in his Column 2 that "Extending laterally at an angle of more than 90.degree. from the lower end of the upper shank portion there is a lower shank portion 13 which is slightly curved and terminates in a bend 15 having thereon a sharp point 16 with a barb 17." However, Kahle makes no mention of the use of a hook of a configuration involving a downwardly angled upper shank portion meeting at an acute angle with a generally horizontally disposed lower shank portion, such that the hook will provide a forwardly located support for a lure mounted on the lower shank portion. This patentee also makes no mention of lure interchangability, involving for example a lure of resilient plastic material permitting a degree of elongation along the longitudinal centerline of the lure, whereby upon the lure being stretched lengthwise to a slight extent, it can be readily installed on the lower shank portion of the hook, making use of a pocket provided in a hollow interior portion of the lure. He also says nothing about his lure having weedless qualities.
There is a distinct need for an improved hook-lure combination that will combine the attributes of attractiveness to a fish; ease of lure installation on the fishhook; tendency of the lure to "weathervane" so as to maintain a desired orientation; and an ability of the hook-lure combination to disengage itself from encountered weeds; and maintain a natural horizontal attitude at all times.